TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

'Minister' Accused Of Beating Wife

ADVERTISEMENT

By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: September 27, 2007

LAKE PLACID — A Lake Placid man remained in the Highlands County Jail in lieu of $130,000 bail Wednesday, charged in connection with a series of beatings inflicted upon his wife, according to a Highlands County sheriff's arrest report.

The victim reportedly was forced to do "squats" while locked in the garage and beat her a with 3/4-inch PVC pipe, plunger, mop, a fishing pole, and even his hands, according to the report.

He also intimidated the victim by threatening to murder their children, the report stated. They've been married six years and have two young children.

The victim got away and ran to the home of a neighbor, who contacted the sheriff's office. When deputies went to the victim's home the husband had driven away with the two children.

Armando Ramon Perez, 45, was located at his mother's home and arrested in Miami-Dade County.

Perez was booked in Saturday, Sept. 22, on charges of aggravated domestic violence battery causing bodily harm, kidnapping or false imprisonment, and two counts of domestic violence battery.

The wife told investigators that on Aug. 4, Perez got angry over a clogged drain. He worked on the drain and took a shower. When he got out of the shower the drain was clogged. He accused his wife of deliberately stopping it up.

It was then he reportedly took the plunger handle and started beating her with it on her back and buttocks until the plunger broke.

The victim told investigators that Perez then got the end of a mop and started beating her with it. He reportedly caused a gash in the woman's head. She took a shower to clean up. He followed her, continuing to accuse her of clogging the drain and told her he could have killed her, the report stated.

When the victim complained of blurriness in her eye, Perez reportedly accused her of faking. It was then he forced her to go into the garage and do deep knee bends (squats) as punishment.

When she fell over from the exercise and heat, he made her get up and continue. He periodically slapped her on her head and face.

The alleged "punishment" went on over time, from Aug. 4 through Aug. 10, according to the report.
On the last day, he got angry at her for making him angry, the report stated. It was then he applied the PVC pipe in the hot locked garage, and denied her water.

Investigators collected all of the reported weapons from the couple's home.

The victim told investigators that on a previous occasion Perez beat her with "The Club," a steering wheel locking device.

Some of the previous abuse took place in front of their children, while he ridiculed her, the report stated. The victim said it had been going on since they were married, the report stated.

Following the arrest of Perez, the couple's children were in the custody of the paternal grandparents in Miami, but efforts were being made to reunite them with their mother, the report stated.

Under the heading of occupation his arrest report stated "Business: Minister." The victim told investigators she met her husband in church.

However, by press time, Highlands Today was not able to establish which local church, if any, Perez may have been affiliated with as a minister.

When Perez was first arrested on the aggravated battery and kidnapping charge, a Miami-Dade judge released him on his own recognizance.

At the request of Highlands County, Perez was re-arrested in Miami and a hold placed on him on the two domestic violence battery charges. He has since been transported back to Highlands County to face charges.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT